New Beginnings
by Athear
Summary: Athear, a Dunadain ranger from the north, joins up with the fellowship after living for many years in solitude within the forest of Fangorn.
1. Prologue: Character Bio Athear

**Prologue/Bio for Athear**

One of the few Dunadain left in Middle Earth, Athear learned to live off the land from a very young age. By the time she was fifteen, she was able to care for herself with not help at all, and at the age of twenty, she became entirely independent. She left her people in search of knowledge with nothing more than a pouch of modest healing herbs, a hunting bow, and a simple dress, Athear set off for the mountainous regions of Middle Earth.

The young Dunadain had thick brown hair and green eyes. She was rather thin, and fairly unremarkable in appearance.

For years Athear lived alone in the mountains, studying the creatures and plants in the area before moving to other areas of Middle Earth. She made her way to the great forests of the land, going to Lorien, Fangorn, and finally (When she was thirty two years old) she ended up in the greatest of them all: Mirkwood.

Athear had met many great and frightening creatures in her travels, but never before had she met something that could instill so much fear inside her. The giant spiders of Mirkwood quickly drove her away, and the great forest became the only place in Middle Earth (aside from Mordor, of course) that was unfamiliar to the young ranger from the north.

She traveled to Edoras in the land of Rohan and became friends with the people, training with the Rohirrim and quickly becoming proficient in their fighting style. Before long, Athear was more than a match for any of the best Rohan warriors, and insisted that she should be allowed to fight alongside the men in battle. To her great disappointment, the king refused. The tradition that women would not fight in war stood firm, and in her fury, Athear fled to the forest of Fangorn. She stayed there helping the creatures and protecting them from the outside world to the best of her ability, and when she turned sixty-five, she met the white wizard Gandalf and he asked for her assistance. Athear accepted once she learned that she would be equal with the men, and eagerly awaited their arrival.

So began Athear's part in the Fellowship of the Ring.


	2. Chapter 1: A Gift

Chapter 1: A Gift 

Green eyes scanned the area momentarily before finding their target. A man clothed in pure white robes, Gandalf the White, a friend that Athear had recently met.

The lithe figure leaped effortlessly down from the strong tree branch she had been perched on, she tossed her waist-long brunette hair casually. It was pulled back into a high ponytail, just the way she liked it. It didn't get in the way so much that way.

Athear walked over to her new friend, he was sitting on a stump and appeared to be deep in thought. Athear took a seat on a nearby rock, not bothering to smooth out the wrinkles on her green dress. She hadn't bothered with such things since leaving Rohan so many years ago.

"What's on your mind, Gandalf?" She asked, watching the wizard curiously. He always seemed to be thinking about something.

"Ah, the question should be 'what isn't on your mind,' for the list would be significantly shorter." Gandalf responded with a chuckle, "But that's beside the point. The point is that I've been meaning to give you something, but I'm not sure if you'll want it or not." He said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a fine silver chain with a feather and a claw on it as pendants. "Do you know what these are?" He asked, offering the necklace to her.

Athear took it and held it carefully in her hands, examining it for a moment before gasping slightly as she realized what they were. "A gryphon feather and claw… Gandalf, why would you want to give me something so valuable?" She asked, awestruck.

"Good, good, you know what it is." The wizard said with a smile, "I've had it for a long time, but I never found anyone who seemed right to give it to, until now." He said, nodding his head. "To use it, one must be very in tune with the earth and all it's creatures, like you are." He said calmly. But his tone changed as he continued, it became suddenly serious with a hint of warning, "But if you accept, you must be careful with it, this necklace becomes a part of you once you start using it. If you're ever separated from it, the consequences could cost you your life." He sighed, his brow furrowing. "I've seen it before… This is why I wasn't sure if you would want it, do you, Athear?"

"But Gandalf, what does it do?" Athear asked, eyeing the necklace suspiciously.

"It will allow you to change into a gryphon and back at will. Do you want it, now that you know the good and the bad of using such a thing?"

Athear thought for a moment before putting the chain around her neck, "Yes, I'll use it in the war against the Ring, I'll take the risk, though I don't know how to use it…"

"That, I cannot tell you. I've never used it, but I'm sure you will figure it out." He said, tone changing once more to a pleasant one. "You are very cleaver."

Athear smiled, fingering the charms of the necklace absentmindedly. "Thanks Gandalf, you're the best." She said before walking off into the forest to find the newly awakened Ent, Treebeard. He had some interesting stories to tell if one was patient enough to listen.


	3. Chapter 2: The Ent and the Halflings

Chapter 2: The Ent and the Halflings 

Several days passed and Athear hadn't figured out how to work her gryphon charm. The normally patient forest dweller quickly became frustrated with it. She was about to smash it to bits when Treebeard came along and tried to calm her down.

"Now now, young one, don't be hasty. You don't need to get angry. Perhaps ask master Gandalf for help, he's good at these things." Treebeard said in his slow, droning voice that had a strangely calming effect on Athear.

It won't do any good, Treebeard. He already told me that he doesn't know how to make it work." She said with a sigh.

Treebeard observed her for a moment before picking her up and placing her on his shoulder, "Come, give me some company barroom… It does get awfully lonely, being an ent. The trees aren't very talkative right now." Treebeard said as he lumbered along.

For quite a long time the two of them discussed many things, the necklace and it's powers, the forest creatures, the trees, they even recited some poetry to each other. Eventually, late in the night, Athear fell asleep right there on Treebeard's large wooden shoulder. Not wanting her to fall as he walked and being rather tired himself, the ent fell asleep as well, right where he was.

"Merry!"

"Aaaaaaaaah!"

A loud crash and a sudden lurching motion woke Athear from her sleep, nearly causing her to fall off Treebeard's shoulder. Athear gasped and clung to his bark, looking down to see that each of Treebeard's hands contained a small creature.

For a moment she thought them children, but she soon recognized the pointed ears and hairy feet dangling below Treebeard's gnarled hands.

"Oh! What are a couple of hobbits doing here?" She asked, eyes wide and curious. She had only ever seen hobbits once, when she visited the Shire briefly in her travels.

"Hmmm, so you aren't orcs." Treebeard said with a nod.

"Look Merry, the talking tree had captured a woman too!" One of them said to his companion, "Run miss! Run away, save yourself!" He called to Athear dramatically.

"Pip, I don't think she's captured, I think she's with the tree." The other sighed, rolling his eyes. "Why else would she be on its shoulder?"

"Quite right, little one." Treebeard said with a smile, "What are you're names?"

"I'm Merry, and this is-"

"Don't tell it our names, what if-"

"Oh hush up, this is Pippin." The one called Merry finished, shooting an irritated glare at Pippin.

"Very nice to meet you Merry and Pippin. I'm Athear and this is Treebeard." Athear said with a bit of a laugh, "It's alright, Pippin. We aren't going to hurt you." She continued before turning her attention to Treebeard. "I suppose we ought to take them to The White Wizard, eh Treebeard?" She asked, being sure to use Gandalf's 'code name' around the newcomers.

"Yes, The White Wizard will know what to do with them." Treebeard said, nodding.

"What?! The White Wizard? You can't take us to him!" Pippin protested.

"Shut up, Pip!"

"But-"

"Just stop talking!"

"Sorry to interrupt this friendly conversation, but we're here." Athear said, pointing at a figure so brilliantly white and bright that you couldn't look straight at it. Treebeard set the two Halflings down before it and bowing his head respectfully as Athear leapt down from his shoulder and knelt before the light.

"Welcome, young hobbits." Said a powerful voice from the light, "I am glad to see you are safe."

"Who are you?" Pippin blurted out, receiving a punch in the arm from Merry.

"Fool of a Took…" Said the bright figure, ceasing the bright glow and revealing who he was.

"Gandalf!" The hobbits cried in unison, rushing forward and giving him a hug. "We're so glad to see you!"

"It is good to see you too." Gandalf said happily, patting them both on the head. "Athear, Treebeard, keep these two safe, would you?" He asked, ushering Merry and Pippin towards Athear.

"Of course, Gandalf." Athear responded, smiling down at her new charges. "Are they in The Fellowship?"

"They are. Merry, Pippin, meet the newest member of The Fellowship of the Ring." Gandalf said, "Now if you'll excuse me, I have some business to attend to." He finished, walking off into the woods.

"Oh good, then you can tell me about the rest of them." Athear said, "Come on, we can walk and talk at the same time, right? I have to get you to a safe place to stay."

"Of course miss!" Merry said happily, walking along with Athear on her right side.

"It looks like you've got this under control, I'll leave this to you. Just call if you need me." Treebeard droned as he walked off into the forest as well.

"First off, there's Frodo and Sam, they're hobbits, like us!" Pippin said, taking up his position on Athear's left.

"And then there's Aragorn, he's a Dunadain ranger, he's really good with a sword." Merry added. " And there's Legolas, he's an elf. You should see what he can do with his bow, there isn't anything he can't hit. There's also Gimli, he's a dwarf and he fights with an axe."

"And Gandalf of course!" Pippin added, determined to get his say.

The three of them talked of The Fellowship and their adventures until nightfall, all the while walking towards the safe haven where they would stay that night. "I'll be right up there if you need me," Athear said, pointing up a nearby tree. "Good night Merry, good night Pippin." She said, quickly and gracefully climbing the tree and resting herself on a branch to sleep.

"Night, Athear." They said, each choosing a soft patch of leaf covered ground to sleep on and quietly drifting off to sleep.


End file.
